CAREX is in the village of Atapuerca. This outreach facility, run by the Government of Castilla and León, focuses on experimental archaeology, a discipline that generates accurate knowledge about the way tools, huts, cloth, pottery and works of art were made and used in the past.
The centre has two complementary areas, one indoors and the other in the open air. The outdoor zone is designed to take visitors on a chronological tour to familiarise them with the evolution of technological innovations in the course of human history. The indoor zone is Spain's first permanent exhibition on experimental archaeology. Its thematic thread follows the major research areas of Experimental Archaeology: 1) stone knapping, 2) toolmaking over time, 3) the use of tools, 4) the production of fire, 5, 6 and 7) evolution of shelter through prehistory, 8) pottery 9) weaving and basket making, and 10) art and musical instruments. Along the way, visitors can see and touch many replicas of archaeological material produced with the same techniques that were employed in each period, and even use some of them. In the process, they become experimenters using techniques from the past and learn some of our research processes.
CAREX is part of the international experimental archaeology network EXARC (archaeological open air museums, experimental archaeology, ancient technology and interpretation).